Hougang SMC must not be re-captured by PAP: SDP's Chee Soon Juan

The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) said on Thursday it will not contest in a by-election in the single member constituency (SMC) of Hougang, if it happens.

SDP’s secretary-general Chee Soon Juan said the party's “primary concern is that the constituency of Hougang remain in the hands of the opposition.”

“It must not be re-captured by the PAP,” added Chee.

“This being the case, and if the circumstances remain the way they are, the SDP will not contest in a by-election in Hougang.”

Earlier media reports revealed that other opposition members seemed to be eyeing the SMC seat, left vacant after the Workers’ Party expulsion of MP Yaw Shin Leong on Wednesday.

Under the Constitution, the government shall call a by-election when an MP in an SMC vacates his office, dies or resigns.

Veteran opposition figure Goh Meng Seng told Yahoo! Singapore on Wednesday that he hopes the other opposition parties will not contest if a by-election is called in Hougang.

“I hope there won’t be a multi-cornered fight and the other opposition parties won’t come in because this will affect the chances of the opposition holding onto the Hougang SMC seat,” he said.

“I am confident that WP will still win in the by-election but maybe with a lower winning margin than last year’s because no matter what, there will be some middle-ground voters who are affected by this scandal,” added the former National Solidarity Party (NSP) secretary-general, who stepped down last year.

However, NSP's secretary-general Hazel Poa said in a statement that the party was focusing on Budget 2012.

"The National Solidarity Party’s Central Executive Committee has come to the conclusion that it is premature to be discussing whether NSP would participate in a by-election in when the by-election has not yet been called," she said.

When contacted by Yahoo! Singapore, Singapore People’s Party declined to comment if they will be keen to contest in Hougang.